10 Unforgettable things you NEED to do in Savannah Georgia

When you think of Savannah, Georgia you probably think of large oak trees with Spanish moss, southern charm, and historic sites. It’s a truly unique place to visit and I’m excited to share 10 unforgettable things you need to do in Savannah Georgia!

The Challenge: Where Should We Go?

I’ve mentioned that one of my Christmas traditions is to take a trip. If you’ve read about the best places to visit in the winter in the United States then you know that we love to escape the cold weather in the winter. My 3 children and I decided on a road trip from PA to GA to spend Christmas in Savannah, Georgia!

PRO TIP: Savannah, Georgia is a great place to visit in the winter because it’s off-season. The hotels are cheaper and it’s much less crowded!

I’m excited to share our favorite list of things to do so you can have the best time in Savannah no matter when you decide to visit!

10 Unforgettable Things you Need to do in Savannah Georgia

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#1 Wormslow State Historical Site

The Wormsloe Historic Site is a really cool place to visit, especially for people who like history and/or nature. The cost to visit this State Park is $10.00 for adults. Children and seniors are at a discounted rate.

The long road leading up to the park is a VERY popular Instagram spot in Savannah. It is lined with the typical live oak trees with Spanish moss, which is commonly associated with Savannah Georgia. There is a 7-mile nature trail for you to explore at your own pace. While we were on the trail we saw some wildlife like birds and a fox.

With nature trails, wildlife, and educational historical options, there’s plenty to keep you busy here. This is the perfect place to take your family if they enjoy outdoor activities.

Along the trail, there are some interesting historical exhibits to see. I was very surprised to find costumed actors at one point on the trail. It reminded me of our trip to the Historic Triangle in Virginia Colonial Williamsburg.

In addition to the museum, gift shop, picnic area, and period actors, they also have different events throughout the year so be sure to check the events section on the website to see what they have during your trip.

#2 Bonaventure Cemetery

It might sound odd that a cemetery can be on a list of popular tourist attractions, but this one is amazing. Savannah has several beautiful cemeteries to visit, but I think this one is the best.

You can drive through the 100+ acres to see the various monuments. People visit Bonaventure Cemetery as a tourist attraction because there are several popular gravesites with interesting stories.

There are different guided tours you can take to hear all the details or you can tour it yourself for FREE.

The 2 hour Bonaventure Cemetery guided walking tour takes you to the popular gravesites of Conrad Aiken, Corinne Lawton, and Johnny Mercer.

The tour guide gives some history with an overview of this stunning Victorian-style cemetery.

Honestly, the kids thought I was a little weird for wanting to visit a cemetery, but I REALLY enjoyed seeing it because it’s unique. There’s a beautiful section just for veterans and there are some really cool photo opportunities throughout the cemetery.

This fun Bonaventure Cemetery after-hours guided tour is 3-hours long. It is more along the lines of a ghost tour that takes place in the evening and has “spooky” ghost stories.

PRO TIP: Get combination tickets whenever possible to save money.

Want to do a Wormsloe Plantation AND Bonaventure Cemetery combo ticket for a discount? CLICK HERE for tickets to 2 attractions and 6 hours of fun!

#3 Segway Tour

Taking a Segway tour is one of the best things, out of the 10 unforgettable things you need to do in Savannah, Georgia. The kids and I had never driven Segways before. (I was nervous… they seem expensive.) Friends, I’ve taken a lot of tours in my travels, but taking one while riding around on a segway is SOOO much fun!

After a brief lesson, and picking a super fun helmet, the guide takes you around town to see the sights. You are given an earpiece so you can hear the guide talk about different things. They have either a 60 or 90-minute tour.

The tour guide will tell you about Savannah’s history and you will also see some famous places where movies were filmed.

If you’ve never done this before please try it. I’d definitely do this again! I think it was totally worth the $49.00 for the experience and one of the best ways to see all of Savannah’s historic district.

#4 Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge

While we were at the Wormsloe State Historical Site, the kids saw an informational placard that said armadillos are native to Georgia. Somehow that spurred a lot of excitement in wanting to actually see one. My son, Thomas, did a little research and he found out that the Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge had reviews stating they had armadillos. The review titled “Armadillo Heaven” was the main reason why we decided to visit the wildlife refuge.

The 2,765 acres has various animals and saltwater marshes, as well as hiking, fishing, hunting, and bicycling opportunities. You can drive through and experience some of it from your car. At one point we parked and walked around the marsh. That’s where we saw alligators!

The most exciting part was seeing an armadillo when we first drove in. Now we can check “armadillo sighting” off of our bucket list. Some of the reviews stated that people didn’t see any animals, and some saw a lot. I think it mostly depends on if you get out of your car or not. This FREE activity takes approximately 2 hours to experience, but it really depends on how much of the area you want to see.

#5 Riverboat and City Tour

I’ve mentioned in Top 10 things to See and Do in Nashville, Tennessee that I always like to do the Hop on Hop off Trolley tours.

In Savannah Georgia, they had a combination tour option with old town trolley tours AND riverboat tours for $53.00. It was a great deal so we did the combo option.

This adventure starts with a trolley tour, which is 90 minutes long. There are several stops where you can get on and off if you would like. The tour is filled with information about the history of Savannah as well as some attractions made famous by various movies. For the combo package, after the trolley tour, you get dropped off at River Street. That’s where you take the riverboat cruise tour for another 90 minutes.

There was an option to add the buffet lunch to your cruise but we did not add that option. On the boat, they have some snacks and alcoholic drinks for purchase.

I really enjoyed the riverboat tour, but the kids liked the trolley tour better. I’m glad we decided to do both because they were very different options. It was a fun way to learn more about the history of Savannah Georgia through these two tours.

#6 Savannah's River Street

River Street is a place you MUST go when you are in Savannah, Georgia. First, the history behind this historic city is incredible. Secondly, you can walk the cute cobblestone streets and shop for really cool souvenirs.

If you are hungry then you’re in the right place, because there are several great restaurants and pubs with views of the Savannah River. One of the cool things about Savannah Georgia is that they allow for open carry of alcoholic beverages. You can buy a drink to go and walk down the street with it. This strip is RIGHT by the water. That means you can be eating your meal and see a huge boat pull up pretty close to you. If you’d like to take a ride on one of the riverboats this is where you can make that happen.

Aside from shopping and food, you will find a number of monuments in this area. This section of town typically has festivals and events running throughout the year. On the first Friday of the month, they have fireworks!

While we were on River Street we decided to do a FREE honey tasting at Savannah Bee Company. It was a lot of fun. Check it out when you visit River Street!

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#7 Cathedral of St. John

The Cathedral Basilica of St. John is the oldest Roman Catholic church in Georgia. This church is a very popular tourist destination in Savannah. You will want to see the breathtaking architecture and beautiful stained glass windows. It ranks #3 out of #175 things to do in Savannah.

Although the church was almost destroyed during a tragic fire in 1898, it has been beautifully restored.

It is FREE to tour at your own pace, and they do allow pictures to be taken. There is a suggested donation of $3.00 when visiting the church.

If you enjoy the architecture and the history of churches then I’d suggest you take the 1 hour Savannah Historic Church Tour.

PRO TIP: St. John’s is a popular place to visit, but it is currently an active church so you need to be aware of the service times in order to plan your visit accordingly.

#8 Forsyth Park

Forsyth Park is a very popular tourist attraction in Georgia. The fountain in the park is one of the most photographed places in Savannah.

You might be wondering when the best time is to visit. Honestly, it’s usually pretty busy at the park. I think you should see the fountain during the day AND at night!

It is FREE to visit this iconic location. While you are at this 30-acre park you will find tennis and basketball courts, an amphitheater, playgrounds, and large green space areas for picnics. This massive park hosts a number of festivals throughout the year so be sure to check the events calendar when you are planning to visit.

Is Georgia always on your mind? (Me too!) Great news, I have more tips for more Georgia fun. CLICK HERE to read about All the Fun Things to do in Atlanta, Georgia!

#9 Try Southern Food

Savannah Georgia is known for its delicious southern food.

Typical Southern foods include fried chicken, biscuits, peach cobbler, grits, sweet potatoes, fried green tomatoes, hush puppies, fried okra, and of course sweet tea to drink.

There are so many great places to pick from, but I’ll share a few of the places we enjoyed.

Clary's Cafe: 404 Abercorn St. Savannah, GA

Clary’s Cafe is a well-known tourist attraction. (Our trolley tour guide even spoke about it.) With a rating of #19 out of #559 restaurants in Savannah, we HAD to try their breakfast.

This unassuming restaurant serves good home-cooked food and the service was FAST. Don’t be surprised to see a line here, but the turnaround time is quick so don’t worry. Make sure you try the grits because no trip to the south is complete without some grits!

Mirabelle Cafe: 313 Abercorn St. Savannah, GA

Mirabelle’s was hands down, my FAVORITE breakfast place. I’m not kidding when I tell you that I had the best coffee of my life here! (Well… the best in the States anyway.)

The breakfast here is perfect. I got the peach waffles. (Since we were in Georgia I had to get some peaches.)

This place is the cutest ever and the staff is super friendly. You can order online for quick pick-up or get delivery if you’d like.

It’s a pretty small place so seating is limited and you can expect a wait if you didn’t order ahead online, but it’s WORTH IT! The breakfast here is perfect.

St. John’s Cathedral is right across the street, so don’t forget to check it out when you’re here. Please make sure you go to Mirabelle’s if you’re in Savannah Georgia. You won’t be disappointed!

Treylor Park Hitch: 300 Drayton St. Savannah, GA

Hitch is a division of the Treylor Park franchise. It is a casual restaurant with a creative eclectic menu. Treylor Park has 3 different restaurants in Savannah. I really liked the unique menu and the trendy atmosphere.

Honestly, they always seemed busy so there was a wait and the service was a little slow, but the food was good. The best part… the drinks here were GREAT! You need to try the Chery Cola cocktail. It was delicious!

Shrimp Factory: 313 E. River St. Savannah, GA

The Shrimp Factory is located on River Street. We enjoyed a delicious lunch on the riverfront. This casual and friendly restaurant is perfect for trying local seafood while watching the ships go by.

We visited in the middle of the day, in the middle of the week, and during the off-season so it wasn’t busy at all.

You have to try Savannah’s famous Artillery Punch when you eat at the Shrimp Factory. It’s a strong one! (Think… mommy’s little helper.)

The Ordinary Pub: 217 1/2 West Broughton St. Savannah, GA

The Ordinary Pub is a really cool modern pub in the heart of Savannah. It has a modern spin on bar food and everything was delicious. I loved their fried green tomatoes.

We definitely recommend visiting this restaurant, which ranks #47 out of #559 restaurants in Savannah, Georgia!

This casual pub, located in the basement, has amazing food is made with fresh local ingredients.

Cotton & Rye: 1801 Habersham St. Savannah, GA

We went to Cotton & Rye for a nice dinner on our last night. This was my favorite restaurant in Savannah Georgia!

It has that farm-to-table vibe that I crave. I love the atmosphere and the food was amazing! I picked this because it was located outside of downtown. (The restaurants downtown always had such a long wait and were so packed.)

Everything we ordered was DELICIOUS! They had a variety of menu options. The service was great and the restaurant is beautifully modern. On TripAdvisor, it ranks #2 out of #559 restaurants in Savannah. I’d definitely eat at Cotton & Rye again!

Savannah Georgia Food Tour

When you travel there are all sorts of educational tours you can take. They are fun, BUT have you ever done a food tour?! I went on a food tour when I was in Paris and it was AWESOME.

Out of the 10 unforgettable things you need to do in Savannah Georgia, this one is probably the most unusual but it’s a good time! I’d STRONGLY suggest that you give it a try the next time you travel.

Locals know all the best places to go. It’s a great way to have the opportunity to talk with other tourists and ask them what they have seen/done so far on their trip. You will get great ideas from the tour guide AND from your fellow travelers in real time.

Check out these food tour options in Savannah Georgia that are 3 hours long:

First Squares Food Tour -TICKETS

Walktails and Bar Bites -TICKETS

Famous and Secret East Side Food tour -TICKETS

#10 Visit Tybee Island

Tybee Island is only 18 miles from the Savannah Historic District. If you have the ability to make the 20-minute road trip, Tybee Island is one of Georgia’s most popular attractions.

It has sandy beaches and beautiful marine life so expect to see starfish, sea turtles, and dolphins.

Check out the Tybee Island Visitor’s Center located at 802 1st Street, Tybee Island, GA 31328 for lots of helpful tips when visiting the island.

If you are planning to make it a full day trip then you should take the 5.5-hour dolphin island tour. Transportation to/from Savannah is provided in the tour.

While you are on the tour you can see Georgia’s oldest and tallest lighthouse.

Want to read more about Tybee Island in Georgia? CLICK HERE to read about it in 14 Best East Coast Beaches in the USA!

Quick Links for Things to do in Savannah Georgia

I like to purchase my tickets in advance online so I have them all in an app on my phone. Viator and Get Your Guide allow you to book in advance and cancel within 24 hours with NO FEES. Below are some quick links to things I’ve mentioned in 10 Unforgettable things you NEED to do in Savannah Georgia, but please visit Get Your Guide to see all the awesome activities they have for Savannah!